Fruit-drier.



No. 628,212. Patented my 4, I899; E. F. SCHNEIDER.

FRUIT DRIER.

(Application filed Apr. 6, 1899.) (no Modem 2 Shuts-Sheet I.

No. 628,2l2. Patented July 4, I899.

' E. F. SCHNEIDER.

FRUIT DRIER.

(Apphcamn nlea Apr. 9. 1 NNNNN 0!.) v I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

EDWARD F. SCHNEIDER, OF NORTH YAMHILL, OREGON.

FRUIT-DRIER.

'- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,212, dated July 4, 1899.

Applica i n fi April 6, 1899. Serial No. 711,988. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. SCHNEIDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Yamhill, in the county of Yamhill and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Driers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention has relation to fruit-driers, and more particularly to that class in which the fruit is spread upon reticulated trays and currents of hot air permitted to pass up through the trays and dry the fruit.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which shall be simple of construction and comparatively inexpensive of production and by means of which the bank of trays above the lowermost one may be supported while the lowermost one is being withdrawn, thus facilitating the successive withdrawal of the trays.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved fruit-drier. Fig. 2 isa longitudinal sectional view. Fig 3 is a vertical sectional View through one of the liftingbars, illustrating the positions assumed by said bar, the full lines showing the bar ongaged in the notch of the tray and the dotted lines showing the bar withdrawn from the notch'in the tray.

In the drawings, 1 denotes-the compartment, which in the present instance is shown rectangular in form and consisting of the open sides 2 and the closed ends 3. One of the ends is provided with an aperture at, through which trays 5 are adapted to be inserted, and with an aperture 6, through which the trays are adapted to be withdrawn. Each tray consists of a rectangular frame, to which is secured a wire gauze or netting. The side pieces of each tray are provided with notches 7, which when the trays are banked in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are alined.

8 denotes a frame pivoted to the end posts of the drier-frame, and 9 denotes lifting-bars connected at their upper ends by a crosspiece 10, supported by the pivoted frame.

11 denotes the lifting-lever, which is connected to the pivoted frame and by-means of which said frame is operated. The lower ends of the lifting-bars are bent inwardly and adapted to engage the notches in the tray.

12denotes a spring secured to the face of the lifting-bar and provided with a T-head, that projects through a cam-slot in the plate 13, secured to the sill of the compartment or drying-frame.

In operation when it is desired to remove the lowermost tray or to examine its contents the lifting-bars are elevated and their inner ends will be guided into engagement with the notch in the tray immediately above the lowermost one by reason of the springs connected to the barbeingforced inward by the camslot in the plate, and the bars are further elevated, which will raise the entire weight of the trays from the lowermost one and permit of its withdrawal. In the lowering of the bars the spring-arm will force the lower ends of the bars from engagement with the tray as soon as tray rests on sill, which is now the lowermost one, so that in again raising the bars the lower ends thereof will come into engagement with the tray immediately above the bottom one and sustain the weight of all the trays above the bottom one and permit of the withdrawal of the lowermost tray.

It is of course understood that as a tray is withdrawn from the opening 6 a new tray freshly charged with fruit is inserted through the aperture 4.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

The combination with the drying-frame or compartment, of a bank of trays arranged therein and having alined notches or recesses in'their sides, lifting-bars arranged opposite said recesses and having their lower ends projecting inwardly to engage successively the recesses of the trays and having their upper ends connected by a cross-bar, a lever pivoted to the frame and having its free end projecting under the said cross-bar, an operating-lever,

and a link connecting the free end of the firstment of the bars, substantially as and for the named lever and the operating-lever, stationpurpose set forth. ary plates havingcam-slots, and spring-arms In testimony whereof I have hereunto set secured to the lifting-bars and engaging ther my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- 5 cam-slots for forcing the lower ends of the nesses.

bars into en a ement with the notches or p 1 T recesses in mf ides of the fruit-tray'on the LDVARD SCH} upward movement of the bars, and for with- Witnesses:

drawing said ends from engagement with said A. C. GOODRIGH,

to notches or recesses on the downward move- JOSA E. HOFFSTATTER. 

